This invention relates to a custom-moldable seating product. In particular, the invention has application as a vehicle safety seat for children wearing orthopedic devices, such as hip spica casts.
Custom-moldable seats are used in various applications for providing comfort, support, and safety to an individual. One example where a custom-moldable seat is particularly useful is in the transportation of an injured child. Transportation of an injured child can be especially difficult when the child is fitted with an orthopedic device, such as a hip spica cast. All fifty states and the District of Columbia have child restraint laws requiring children to travel in approved child restraint devices. However, positioning a child fitted with a hip spica cast in a conventional child seat can be difficult and uncomfortable for the child.
A hip spica cast is used to keep the child's hips and legs from moving relative to each other. Several types of hip spica casts exist. One type extends from the chest to the child's toes. Another type may enclose the legs, or enclose one entire leg and down to the hip or knee of the other leg. A child in a hip spica cast should be maintained in a semi-sitting position to allow optimal positioning of the hips. Also, the child's feet and heels should be free of pressure caused by contact with a seat or other structure. As such, the transportation of a child fitted with a hip spica cast can be particularly challenging.
Currently, various devices and techniques are used to transport a child with a hip spica cast. For example, pillows may be used to prop a child and improve comfort in an existing child restraint design. However, the pillows can shift and are generally inadequate to provide proper positioning and support to the child. Furthermore, pillows could present a suffocation hazard. Special safety seats have also been developed for children in a hip spica cast, but require a parent to purchase a second car seat, resulting in a substantial expense for a limited time of use. Another method of transporting a child with a hip spica cast is to lay the child flat on the back seat of a vehicle. However, this method has several disadvantages, as well. For example, standard seat belts are used to secure the child to the seat, resulting in less than optimal restraint for the child. Also, pillows may be required to position the child properly, as well as, reduce pressure on the feet and heels caused by the seat. Furthermore, such a method is likely to violate state child restraint laws.
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing an efficient, comfortable, and safe means for transporting a person wearing orthopedic devices.